Electromagnetic radiation emitting and/or receiving semiconductor component (for example, light-emitting diodes (LEDs)) have many useful applications. One such component is a surface-mountable optoelectronic component, for example, leadframe-based, in which the semiconductor chip is arranged in a recess of a housing base body and secured there. In some cases, the housing base body is preferably prefabricated before the semiconductor chip is mounted in the recess and an encapsulant is used to secure the chip in the recess. Such semiconductor components are known, for example, from Siemens Components 29 (1991), Vol. 4, pp. 147 to 149. The encapsulant is conventionally, for example, an epoxy-resin-based potting material. However, such potting materials are often susceptible to UV radiation.
To improve the UV resistance of radiation emitting and/or radiation receiving optoelectronic semiconductor components, the use of silicone resin encapsulants has been proposed. These, however, pose the problem of not bonding as firmly as, for example, epoxy resin to the materials conventionally used for the housing base body. Thus, when silicone resin is used as the encapsulant, there is an increased risk that mechanical or thermal stress between the housing base body and the encapsulant will lead to delamination, beginning at the top edge of the recess and propagating on into it. This results in light loss, due to additional reflective surfaces in the region of the delamination. In the worst case, it can also bring about complete separation of the chip envelope from the housing base body.